Revolution
The Legacy of IWC’s Le Petit Prince
Introduced in 2014, the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Le Petit Prince” is one of IWC’s famous tributes to French writer-philosopher-aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s book of the same name.
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Revolution
Introduced in 2014, the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Le Petit Prince” is one of IWC’s famous tributes to French writer-philosopher-aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s book of the same name.
Revolution
The world’s leading expert on Heuer chronographs talks about how he got started as a watch collector and, in particular, why he became enamoured with vintage Heuers.
Revolution
The evolution Jaquet Droz’s skeletonized watch continues with three new colorful and limited editions, ready for springtime.
Time+Tide
Each of the models in the Rolex Professional series is a tool watch made for a man on a mission. While the Submariner and Sea-Dweller are diving watches, the Rolex Explorer II was originally built in 1971 for speleologists or cave explorers who required a sturdy, functional and highly legible watch while working in almost … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The Rolex Explorer II Ref. 216570 is the unsung hero in the Professional series appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Every time you read a story about the ocean, there’s a good chance you’ll see that it is “95% unexplored”, or “we know more about the surface of the moon than of the seafloor”. As most tropes go, they are as annoying as they are true, and in this case they’re also an apt metaphor for vintage watch knowledge. While the details of vintage Patek Philippe and Rolex have been mapped down to their going trains, numerous brands remain relatively uncharted – a Marianas Trench’s of knowledge awaiting exploration. Midcentury Movado chronographs lie squarely at those depths; let’s dive in. As we arrive at the door of our submersible, we must first acknowledge those who have assembled taxonomies of this scantly-explored abyss: the late Fritz van Osterhausen, author of The Movado History, and the excellent M95 chronograph reference the e-newsletter Rescapement published a few years ago. Using their ballast - no, I haven’t run out of nautical metaphors yet - we hope to fathom yet further. Today, we’ll peer into with what many consider the pinnacle of Movado collecting, its exceptionally-cased midcentury chronographs. History Until the 21st century, Swiss watch production was predominantly a cottage industry. Specialists manufactured the case, dial, or ebauche (movement blank), and peddled their wares to as many brands as possible. While final products were modified to brand specifications, family traits are easily discernible across marques that shared sup...
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Quill & Pad
More than a century of history of Baselworld, the world’s biggest and most comprehensive watch fair, is virtually impossible to sum up in just a few lines. However, that is what Elizabeth Doerr does here as she looks back over 102 years of Baselworld history and reflects on what happens next. Hopefully that is, "Pack your bags for Houruniverse 2021."
Deployant
We thought that it will be a great idea to introduce some vibrancy into the watch collecting scene, this time with six great watches that has a square case.
Time+Tide
A few years ago Hollywood superstar Russell Crowe caught the attention of the watch world. Why? He was selling most of his impressive watch collection in a sale titled, Russell Crowe: The Art of Divorce, through Sotheby’s Australia. While the circumstances of the sale were unfortunate, it was an interesting opportunity to hear straight from … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The T+T interview with Hollywood legend Russell Crowe just hit 1M views, and these are our favourite watches in the video appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
For me, the King Seiko 5626-7000 "one that got away" - a watch I sold too soon - but a bit of research revealed that I got quite lucky.The post The One I Got Away From – The 1971 King Seiko 5626-7000 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
It’s a fitting time to publish our first ever Female Wind Down, in place of the usual Friday Wind Down. New websites are launching, collectives are forming and congregating on Instagram and Clubhouse, and the noise level questioning many of the fundamental tenets of the watch industry – stemming from the one that designates it … ContinuedThe post FEMALE WIND DOWN: That is not a typo, this is not a test. 5 new ways women can get into watches appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Time+Tide
The watch industry’s persistent categorising of watches by gender is back on the agenda. And well and truly in frame is the pointlessness of the “women’s watch” category. But, speaking personally here, I’m not one to let a category push me around. I really don’t count labelling for men and women as being told what … ContinuedThe post Women do not need permission to buy men’s watches, so who cares about the category? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Perhaps the most widely leaked recent launch, the IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Tribute to 3705” is a remake of the uncommon, ceramic-case Fliegerchronograph of 1994. Available only online via IWC’s web store, the Tribute to 3705 reproduces the look of the original, but in a larger case made of Ceratanium, essentially a titanium-ceramic composite. And the movement is the in-house cal. 69380. Initial thoughts Possessing the clear, functional style of IWC’s first-generation pilot’s watches, the original 3705 was a good looking watch. Being a pretty faithful remake, the Tribute to 3705 is almost as attractive. A little of the original’s proportions have been lost – the hour hand on the remake looks a bit short – but the Tribute to 3705 is appealing. And it’s also an upgrade with the new case material as well as the in-house movement, which enhances the appeal. It is, however, expensive at US$11,900. That’s 20% more pricey than the Top Gun “SFTI” chronograph, which has a ceramic case and the same movement. No doubt conceived to capitalise on desirability of the original 3705 – an example once owned by former IWC chief executive Gunter Blumlein sold for a little under US$54,000 in 2018 – the Tribute to 3705 will be sold exclusively online via IWC.com. That makes the project feel a little opportunistic, since it means IWC will retain almost all of the margin on the watch, instead of having to split it with a third-party retailer or even a...
Time+Tide
Johnny Dowell, a.k.a King Nerd – who was one of our Londoners featured recently in a series by European Editor Mike Christensen – is a watch customizer with a very sharp point of difference. He is an engraver, and applies his craft to watches, among other things – it’s a world of traditional craftsmanship you wouldn’t … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: A duo of disruptors mount up in the King Nerd x G-Shock GM-6900GKING-9ER appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
While it may not appeal to everyone, it is clear that a lot of thought has gone into the design of this watch. It isn’t another homage to a classic design, and moreover, it isn’t weird just for the sake of being weird.
Time+Tide
Many of us, myself included, have the 5711 steel Nautilus cemented onto our watch grail wish-list. Now, the infamous eight year waiting-list you’d have to endure after ordering one is no more. Patek Philippe’s top selling reference is being discontinued, and many a collector on an exclusive AD list will return to square one, with … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED READING: Why Patek Philippe’s decision to kill their most popular product is a business masterstroke appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Time+Tide
We all love Instagram, right? Especially for the watch community, the Facebook-owned social media app is an integral hub that connects horological enthusiasts around the world. But what if Instagram was making you a target for robbery? That was exactly what allegedly happened in Milan with a gang of four nicknamed the “acrobat thieves” who … ContinuedThe post How did thieves use Instagram to steal €150,000 of watches and other luxury goods? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Patek Philippe is starting the year on a simple note, with its first releases for 2021 being a trio of additions to the Twenty-4 collection for ladies. One is the Twenty-4 Quartz in rose gold with a brown dial, a variant of the recently introduced Twenty-4 “Manchette”, while the other two are mechanical: new references of the Twenty-4 Automatic with green or gold dials. The green dial of the new Twenty-4 Automatic in steel Initial thoughts With all the hype surrounding the now-discontinued Nautilus ref. 5711/1A, it can be easy to forget that Patek Philippe actually makes a broad range of watches, including a collection for ladies that has now been in the catalogue for over 20 years (though the automatic version only came along in 2018). The new Twenty-4 models are variants of the same, but the automatic Twenty-4 with a green dial is unusual and an appealing alternative to the bestselling and faddish blue dial. While the styling might be uninspiring for a watch enthusiast, the Twenty-4 is ideal for someone who wants a Patek Philippe that’s fuss free, explaining the consistent commercial success of the Twenty-4 over the decades. The Twenty-4 Quartz The Twenty-4 Automatic Both versions of the Twenty-4 are pricey, sitting at the top end of their respective segments. The new Twenty-4 Automatic in steel retails for US$27,796, about the same as the Nautilus ref. 7118/1A for ladies, or the recently-launched Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 34 mm. The Twenty-4 has the advantage o...
Revolution
Girard-Perregaux is revealed as Official Watch Partner for Aston Martin Lagonda and Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™️ Team
Time+Tide
The watch world is definitely enjoying a heritage binge with vintage-inspired timepieces the dominant trend throughout the industry. You might think the end of this trend is on the horizon, but when you appreciate how deep some manufacturers’ archives are, you start to realise that the fun has only just begun. Longines, for example, is … ContinuedThe post INTRODUCING: The Longines Avigation BigEye Chronograph blends heritage flair with a modern titanium case appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Liven up your watch collection with these exciting pieces with clear cases and straps from G-Shock's Transparent series.The post INTRODUCING: Get the all-clear with the G-Shock Transparent Series (including the “Casioak”) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Quill & Pad
Given GaryG's musings on these pages about the relative roles of rarity and complication in driving the value of a watch, he thinks it appropriate to dedicate this “Behind the Lens” entry to a piece that is both complicated and limited in production: Patek Philippe’s Reference 5950A. What’s so special about this watch? Well, first of all it’s a split-seconds chronograph. What else?
Time+Tide
Last week it happened again. I was standing in line at a coffee shop and, of the seven people queuing, I was the only one wearing a proper watch. There were four naked wrists, one Garmin and one Apple Watch constantly buzzing and flashing. Now if we have any chance of turning this sad situation … ContinuedThe post This is why Norifumi Seki looks set to become the Next Big Thing in watchmaking appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
When Zenith first took the covers off the Chronomaster Revival “Shadow” in the middle of last year, my immediate reaction was “That’s a super cool-looking watch.” Unlike its fellow remakes like the A384 and A386, or the more recent A385, the Shadow isn’t a replica of an actual vintage watch Zenith produced in its heyday before the Quartz Crisis. While the Shadow was inspired by a 1970 prototype with a black-coated case that never made it into production, the Shadow is very much a modern design. It imagines what a vintage A384 might have been, had it been released in all-black livery in the 1970s. Compared to Zenith’s recent vintage-inspired watches, most of which are faithful remakes, the Shadow is a breath of fresh air. So when Zenith offered the chance for me to spend a couple of days with the watch, I seized it. The El Primero A384 Revival that’s a faithful remake of the vintage original Initial thoughts I had a visceral reaction when I first strapped on the Shadow: my heart sang, and a smile crept onto my face. I was struck by how different it looked on the wrist; distinct not only from the other El Primero chronographs, but against other offerings at the same price point. In fact, it looked to me more like a Bamford collaboration rather than a standard model. On the wrist, the Shadow stands out in a subtle but striking manner, especially to a watch enthusiast. Anyone who knows Zenith will understand that’s an A384, but different. Reductive desig...
Revolution
The Rolex Submariner has been an institution in its own right since 1953. The classic dive watch has undergone another pitch-perfect evolution in 2020.
SJX Watches
While not the fanciest hotel in Basel – that title goes to Les Trois Rois across the river – the Swissôtel Le Plaza Basel was synonymous with the luxury watch brands that exhibited in Baselworld, the once dominant watch fair that was crippled by the departure of key exhibitors like Rolex and Patek Philippe, and then the pandemic. Located just across the street from Messe Basel, the sprawling convention centre where Baselworld once took place, the Swissôtel Basel was declared bankrupt by a Basel court in early last month. The hotel was heavily dependent on the city’s primary trade fairs, Art Basel and Baselworld. According to past news reports, over 60% of revenue at the Basel hotel came from trade fair bookings. And those trade fair bookings were exorbitant. So pricey that only the industry’s biggest movers and shakers could stay there – the hotel typically imposed a 10-day minimum stay for Baselworld leading to a bill of about 7000 Swiss francs per room – the Swissôtel Basel was a place where you could spot Thierry Stern, any one of the Hayeks who control Swatch Group, and the occasional Bugatti parked in front. According to industry insiders who had rooms booked for Baselworld 2020, the hotel did not offer refunds and instead moved the bookings to 2021. With clients sitting at the bottom of the ranking of creditors, it is unlikely that any of the fees will be repaid. Though managed by Accor, the French group that owns the Swissôtel brand, the Swissôtel...
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